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AL-QALAM (THE PEN)

068.001YUSUFALI: Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-PICKTHAL: Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),SHAKIR: Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,

068.002YUSUFALI: Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.PICKTHAL: Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.SHAKIR: By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.

068.003YUSUFALI: Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:PICKTHAL: And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.SHAKIR: And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.

068.004YUSUFALI: And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.PICKTHAL: And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.SHAKIR: And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.

068.005YUSUFALI: Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,PICKTHAL: And thou wilt see and they will seeSHAKIR: So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,

068.006YUSUFALI: Which of you is afflicted with madness.PICKTHAL: Which of you is the demented.SHAKIR: Which of you is afflicted with madness.

068.007YUSUFALI: Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.PICKTHAL: Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.SHAKIR: Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.

068.008YUSUFALI: So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).PICKTHAL: Therefor obey not thou the rejectersSHAKIR: So do not yield to the rejecters.

068.009YUSUFALI: Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.PICKTHAL: Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.SHAKIR: They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.

068.010YUSUFALI: Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,PICKTHAL: Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,SHAKIR: And yield not to any mean swearer

068.011YUSUFALI: A slanderer, going about with calumnies,PICKTHAL: Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,SHAKIR: Defamer, going about with slander

068.014YUSUFALI: Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.PICKTHAL: It is because he is possessed of wealth and childrenSHAKIR: Because he possesses wealth and sons.

068.015YUSUFALI: When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!PICKTHAL: That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.SHAKIR: When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.

068.016YUSUFALI: Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!PICKTHAL: We shall brand him on the nose.SHAKIR: We will brand him on the nose.

068.017YUSUFALI: Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.PICKTHAL: Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,SHAKIR: Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off the produce in the morning,

068.018YUSUFALI: But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").PICKTHAL: And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);SHAKIR: And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).

068.019YUSUFALI: Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.PICKTHAL: Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they sleptSHAKIR: Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.

068.020YUSUFALI: So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).PICKTHAL: And in the morning it was as if plucked.SHAKIR: So it became as black, barren land.

068.021YUSUFALI: As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-PICKTHAL: And they cried out one unto another in the morning,SHAKIR: And they called out to each other in the morning,

068.022YUSUFALI: "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."PICKTHAL: Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).SHAKIR: Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).

068.023YUSUFALI: So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-PICKTHAL: So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:SHAKIR: So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

068.024YUSUFALI: "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."PICKTHAL: No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.SHAKIR: Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.

068.025YUSUFALI: And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.PICKTHAL: They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.SHAKIR: And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.

068.026YUSUFALI: But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:PICKTHAL: But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!SHAKIR: But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray

068.027YUSUFALI: "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"PICKTHAL: Nay, but we are desolate!SHAKIR: Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

068.028YUSUFALI: Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"PICKTHAL: The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)?SHAKIR: The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?

068.029YUSUFALI: They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"PICKTHAL: They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.SHAKIR: They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.

068.030YUSUFALI: Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.PICKTHAL: Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.SHAKIR: Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.

068.031YUSUFALI: They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!PICKTHAL: They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.SHAKIR: Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:

068.032YUSUFALI: "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"PICKTHAL: It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.SHAKIR: Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.

068.033YUSUFALI: Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!PICKTHAL: Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.SHAKIR: Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!

068.034YUSUFALI: Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.PICKTHAL: Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.SHAKIR: Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.

068.035YUSUFALI: Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?PICKTHAL: Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty?SHAKIR: What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?

068.036YUSUFALI: What is the matter with you? How judge ye?PICKTHAL: What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge!SHAKIR: What has happened to you? How do you judge?

068.037YUSUFALI: Or have ye a book through which ye learn-PICKTHAL: Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learnSHAKIR: Or have you a book wherein you read,

068.038YUSUFALI: That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?PICKTHAL: That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose?SHAKIR: That you have surely therein what you choose?

068.039YUSUFALI: Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?PICKTHAL: Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain?SHAKIR: Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall surely have what you demand?

068.040YUSUFALI: Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!PICKTHAL: Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!SHAKIR: Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

068.041YUSUFALI: Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!PICKTHAL: Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthfulSHAKIR: Or have they associates if they are truthful.

068.042YUSUFALI: The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-PICKTHAL: On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,SHAKIR: On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able,

068.043YUSUFALI: Their eyes will be cast down,- ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).PICKTHAL: With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.SHAKIR: Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.

068.044YUSUFALI: Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.PICKTHAL: Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.SHAKIR: So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:

068.045YUSUFALI: A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.PICKTHAL: Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.SHAKIR: And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.

068.046YUSUFALI: Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-PICKTHAL: Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed?SHAKIR: Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?

068.047YUSUFALI: Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?PICKTHAL: Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof)?SHAKIR: Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?

068.048YUSUFALI: So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish,- when he cried out in agony.PICKTHAL: But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.SHAKIR: So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he was in distress.

068.049YUSUFALI: Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.PICKTHAL: Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.SHAKIR: Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found while he was blamed.

068.050YUSUFALI: Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.PICKTHAL: But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.SHAKIR: Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.

068.051YUSUFALI: And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"PICKTHAL: And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;SHAKIR: And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.

068.052YUSUFALI: But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.PICKTHAL: When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.SHAKIR: And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.